Central govt abolishes mandatory EV battery safety tests for incentives

The Central Government took a significant step by abolishing the mandatory human safety tests for electric vehicle (EV) batteries that were previously required to qualify for incentives under various government schemes.In its latest guidelines, the Ministry of Heavy Industries has streamlined the requirements for receiving incentives under the Central Government's various incentive programs. Now, compliance with the prevailing EV battery testing standards set by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is the sole prerequisite for eligibility.The Ministry of Heavy Industries' guidelines emphasised that EV and battery safety compliance standards, already rigorously defined by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, are sufficient and must be adhered to.These tests were originally introduced by the ministry on November 2, 2022, but the industry received a six-month extension in April. It was reported on April 29 that the ministry had extended the deadline until October 1.The decision to do away with mandatory human safety tests was based on the findings of a committee led by the Director of the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). The committee concluded that the testing standards established by MoRTH adequately meet the current requirements of the EV industry. ARAI is a key testing and certification agency authorised by the Government of India.Both the Ministry of Heavy Industries and MoRTH, which are the two primary ministries responsible for regulating the transportation and EV sectors, had previously issued separate sets of battery safety standards. This action followed numerous incidents of EV fires reported in the country last year.The Ministry of Heavy Industries had made human safety tests obligatory for eligibility under programs such as the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME II) and production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes for the automotive and auto components sectors, as well as advanced chemistry cells.The Ministry of Heavy Industries' testing criteria were more stringent than those of MoRTH, involving checks at three levels, including the cell, battery management system, and battery pack. MoRTH's guidelines were also mandatory for vehicle manufacturing.Government officials cited the breach of administrative control as one of the reasons for scrapping these norms. They explained that the authority for manufacturing, registration, and operational rules for automobiles falls under MoRTH's jurisdiction. Since MoRTH's testing standards are already in place, there is no need for additional certification, according to an official involved in the decision.